Method and apparatus for measuring the dimensions of objects by the radiation differential between the object to be measured and a comparison object



Nov. 15, 1949 F. OFFNER 2,488,430

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF OBJECTS BY THE RADIATION DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A COMPARISON OBJECT Filed April 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l TIME I 15%. 3

MAX.

TIME

I N V EN TOR. FRA/V/(LW arm? A T TORNE Y6 NOV. 1949 F. OFFNER 2, 88, 30

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF OBJECTS BY THE RADIATION DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A COMPARISON OBJECT Filed April 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WHI- , INVENTOR. FRA/V/(L/N OFF/V5? ATTORNEYS F. OFFNER 2,488,430 METHOD AND APPARATUS ous OF ENTIAL BETWEEN THE OMPARISON OBJECT Nov. 15, 1949 I FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSI OBJECTS BY THE RADIATION DIFFER OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A 0 Filed April 15, 1946 5' SheetsSheet 3 INVl-JVTOR. FRANKLIN OFFNER m 2M,

ATTORNEYJ Nov. 15, 1949 F. OFFNER 2,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF OBJECTS BY THE RADIATION DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A COMPARISON OBJECT Filed April 15, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORL FRAN/(L/N OFF/V5"? Nov. 15, 1949 F. OFFNER 2,48 3

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF OBJECTS BY THE RADIATION DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A COMPARISON OBJECT Filed April 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTOR. FRANKLW, OFFNER Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED srAres METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSICDNS F OBJECTS BY THE RADIATHON DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE OBJECT TO BE MEASURED AND A COM- PARISON OBJECT The invention relates to the measurement of objects and particularly to a, method and device for utilizing the radiation differential between an object to be measured and a comparison object to determine the temperature or dimensions 'of the object.

A purpose of the invention is to measure a dimension of an object without contact therewith.

Another purpose of the invention is to measure the temperature of an object.

A further purpose of the invention is the measurement of the temperature or dimensions of a moving object.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following description. I

Basically, the invention utilizes the radiation difierential between an object to be measured and a comparison object, which may be a background of different radiation characteristics from the object to be measured or an object of fixed and determinable radiation characteristics, to determine the temperature or a dimension of the object.

The invention is particularly useful in determining the dimensions or the temperature of a moving object such as a wire or rod undergoing metallurgical or other treatment.

The method of the invention comprises periodically and successively scanning radiation emitted by the object and a comparison object, converting the radiation difierential into an electrical signal which is a function of the radiation difierential and measuring the electri- -cal signal, preferably in terms of dimension or temperature of the object as may be desired. The scannin may be effected optically or electronically.

Typically, the measuring device of the invention comprises means adapted to convert radiation into an electrical signal, such as a photoelectric cell, thermopile, bolometer, or the mosaic plate of an iconoscope; means for periodically and successively scanning upon said raditionconverting means radiation from the object to be measured and from a comparison object; and means for measuring the electrical signal thereby produced.

The invention will be more particularly de-- scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the basic elements of a dimension measuring device embodying the principles of the invention as applied to mechanical scanning of a non-incandescent object;

Fig. 2 illustrates the image on the scanning disc;

Fig. 3 shows the variation in the output of the photocell with time, with a non-incandescent object;

Fig, 4 object;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a modified dimension measuring circuit;

Figs. fia fig show wave-forms at various points in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a modification oi the device for temperature measurement;

Fig. 8 illustrates the wave-form of the curin the device of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of modified temperature measuring device;

Figs. 10-11 and 1% illustrate Wave-forms of cur rents in the device of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of an electronic scanning device for dimension measurement.

In Fig. 1, l is a light source, providing a substantially uniformly illuminated background. 2 is a rod whose diameter is to be measured. 3 is a lens, forming an image ii) of the rod on scanning disc 6 which is rotated at a uniform rate by motor 5. Photoelectric cell 6 is illuminated by the light passing through aperture 9 in scanning disc 5. The output of cell 6 is amplified in elec tron tube amplifier i, and measured by meter 8.

The appearance of the image of the rod 2 on i is shown in Fig. 2. The disc is illuminated, except where the rod obstructs the light. Thus, as aperture 9 crosses the image, the light on B, and the current output of t (and as amplified, of 'i), will fall from a maximum to substantially zero, as shown in Fig. 3, which illustrates the variation in the illumination and current over several cycles of revolution of 4.

It is seen from Fig. 3 that if the rod is removed, the current output of l and thus the reading of 8, which registers the average output current of 1, will be a maximum. When the rod is inserted, the reading will decrease; and the decrease will be substantially proportional to the diameter of the rod. Thus, if all other iactorsv are kept constant, 8 may be calibrated directl y in terms of the diameter of 2.

I I1, 2 is incandescent, a dark background-may be substli uted for l. The illumination on 6, and the utput ;of 6 and of I will vary as in Fig. l. The inshows the same, with an incandescent strument operates in a similar manner to the former case, except 8 reads zero for zero diameter, and increases with diameter.

To read the radiation temperature of 2, rather than its diameter, 8 may be made to read the peak value of the output of 1, (rather than the average). This peak value is a function oi temperature, and 8 may thus be calibrated in terms of temperature. For this purpose, 8 may be any one of a number of peak-reading voltmeters or milliameters well known to the art.

Thebasic device of Fig. 1 has several disadvantages: the reading depends upbnthe intensity of l (or the radiation of 2), the sensitivity of '6 and 1, and the efiiciency of the optical system. These difficulties are largely overcome in the preferred device shown in ,Fig. 5. The optical system and scanning disc, I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, Hi are as in Fig. 1. I

The light beam passing the scanning disc falls on the photo-sensitive electrode of i i, which is an electron-multiplier photo-tube, with associated resistors. This is coupled to the first amplifier tube [4 through condenser l2 and resistor l3. The signal developed by M is produced in inverse phase by tube l5, which iscoupled to 14 through 'commonscreen-grid resistor I7 and cathode resistor l6.

, The'signals-developed by Maud are coupied to automatic volume control tubes is and [9, which have large cathode condensers, 2 and '2 I shunted by high resistors 22 and 2s.

Thesignal 'output of 18 and i9 is coupled into a trigger pair of tubes 24 and 25. These a'repreferably=pentagridtubes, with their #3 grids interlocked with the "opposite plate circuit, as shown, and in a manner familiar to the art. In the plate circuit 'of'24 is'asm'all condenser 26, shuntedby a high resistor 21. These serve "to amplify the signal produced, as described later.

The D.=C.*signal developed at the plate of 24 is filtefeddf'the signal components ofdisc frequency and higher, byresistance'ziland condenser 29. The DI-'C. signal is amplified by tubes 30 and? I, which form a conventional D;-C. amplifier. The output current is read on meter 32. ingpoint o'f theamplifier is set by resistor 33, and 'the' meter sensitivity-adjusted by resistor 34.

The operation 'of "the circuit is illustrated in Figs. 6a'-6g. In'fia'is shown'the illumination falling on'the'cell H as the hole '9-in' disc l crosses the image In 'of rod 2. It isseen that the illumination'of the background is now not necessarily uniform. This is one advantage of the circuit 6f Fig. 5. 6a also represents the signal output of H. l2-and 13 are proportioned to difierentiate this signal. Thesignal developed-by M is thus as s'how'nin 6b. The signal developed by I5 is the reverse of this, and is shown in Ge.

I'n 6d is shown a seriesof impulses as would be produced'by successive revolutions of disc 4. t2 represents the period of revolution of the'disc; t1 r'epresentsthe' time required for scanning hole 9 to cross image H! of rod 2. 131 is the time between 'positivefan'd negative peaks of the. signaloutput "wave. The'diameter of the rod is'then proportional to'the ratio of ti to t2. The purpose of the fre'mainder of'the circuit isto determine this ratio accurately. There may alternatively be used a -number ofscanning aperturess. Then tie is the time interval Y between scanning-apertures crossing the image.

I The automatic volume control tubes .18, I9

Th-e operatrent to flow through the tube. This charges'up condenser 20 to a voltage which will almost cut off all space current flow. The voltage on 23 will slowly leak off through 22, so that a small pulse of space current will flow on the next positive peak. However, no space current-flows on nega tive peaks applied to IS. The actionof i9 is exactly similar. A negative peak on its is ac- ;companied by a positive peak on as, so that a pulse of space current in IQ occurs at the negativepeak on F8. The space current pulses in l8 and 1'9 is partially plate current, thus producing siignal pulses in'the plate circuits of i8 and It. These pulses are shown in Figs. 6e and 6], respectively. The time, t1, is now given by the time =b etvv'e en the negative peaks in the plate circuits -of l8 and. 'l-9. The pulses are now of very short duration, so that the time may be accurately rrfeasiired.

In trigger pair 24, 25, tube 25 is normally conducting. When a 7 negative signal pulse (as shown at'fif) is applied to the number '1 grid bf 25, the tube is cut-off, and 24 then conducts. It continues to conduct (neglecting the effect of 25 and 21) until a negative pulse (as shown at Be) is applied to the #1 grid of 24. 25-th'en again conducts. The plate current pulses through 24, corresponding to the signal pulse of Fig. 6d, are shown in 69. A meter in the plate circuit of 2d, reading the average :fplat'e current, would give the ratio ti/tz, and thus the diametercf the rod. However, the actual current would usually be too small to measure. It is -therefore preferably amplified.

Condenser 26 inserted in the plate circuit of '24. 2t is shunted by resistor 2i. The brief pulses of plate current 24 charge 'up 25, producing'a relatively large voltage across it.

The "voltage-across 26'is amplified by 39, and theoutput'of' 36 *is coupled to cathode-"follower 3|, which provides current to operate meter '32.

By means of resistor 2's, 32 may be adjusted to center-scale'reading at'some desired diameter of rod -2. '32 then will read the variation in diamet er from the desired value; 3t maybe adjusted so that each scale division on 32 will read,

for example, .001 inch.

32 may be replaced by, or put in series with, a graphic recorder. Thus, if rod 2 is moving longitudinally a continuous record of its diameter is given.

If rod-2 emitssufficient radiation so that light source I is unnecessary, connections ab, cd are interchangedso that a is connected to cl, and c to b.

When the rod is sufficiently incandescent, the AVG tube 18 may also be used to give the temperature. The voltage of the positive peak applied to [8 is dependent upon the temperature; substantially this voltage is developed across 2i! (plus a constant). Thus, a vacuum tube voltmeter connected to point 68 Will give the temperature of 2.

in 'place of the photo-electric cell H, other radiation-sensitive cells may be employed: e. g., a thermopile or bolometer. A thermopile would be particularly advantageous for temperature measuring purposes.

The circuit of Fig. 5 may not give sufficiently precise results for temperature measurements. Any change in the radiation transmission of the optical system will cause an error. When temperature measurement only is desired, the arrangement of Fig. '7 is preferably employed. Comparison rod 36 is electrically heated by battery 31 through adjusting resistor 38. The resistance of 36, which should be of material having a fairly high temperature coeflicient of resistance, is measured by the bridge consisting of fixed balancing arm resistor 39, variable balancing resistor 40, and galvanometer 4|.

Images l and I0, respectively, of both 55 and 2, are thrown on disc 4, so that radiation from each is intercepted in turn by hole 9. The radiation falls on sensitive cell 42, which may be a photo-electric cell, thermopile, or other radiation-sensitive device. The output of 52 is amplified by I, and applied to oscillograph 43.

In operation, the heights of the signals produced as the radiation from 36 and 2 in turn is intercepted by 9, are viewed on 43. These may appear as in Fig. 8. Resistor 33 is adjusted to make the two peaks the same height. Resistor 40 is next adjusted to balance, as read on 4!. 40 is calibrated in terms of the temperature of 3B, and thus of 2.

A modification of the temperature measuring device of Fig. '7 is illustrated in Fig. 9. The object whose temperature is to be measured is 45. Slit 45 is placed between 44 and lens 3. The image of 45 falls on cell 42. The optical system is proportioned so that the image of 44 covers the image of the slit on 42. Heated comparison rod 35, which is connected to a heating battery 3'! and bridge circuit, as in Fig. 8, is moved cyclically in and out of the field of view of 42 by motor 5, through eccentric 46 and lever 41. Another eccentric 48, the phase of which is adjustable with respect to that of 46, and lever 49 moves contact 50 between contact points and 52.

The output of cell 42 is amplified by i. The output of 1 is balanced to give equal positive and negative signals; as, for example, by transformer 53 having a center-tapped secondary. 54 is a device responsive to average current. a meter, relay, or vacuum tube operated control device. It is switched alternately between the two output signals provided by 53, by contacts 50, 5|, 52, which are operated synchronously with the motion of 36 in and out of the field of view of 42, but with adjustable phase relationship.

In operation, if 35 emits more radiation per unit area of surface than 44 (i. e., if its color temperature is higher), during that portion of the cycle of operation when 36 is in the field of View of 42, the output of 42 will be increased, and thus an alternating voltage of wave-form as shown in Fig. a is developedacross the secondary of 53. The synchronous switch 55, 5|, 52 operates in the phases shown by the dotted lines, and acts as a synchronous full-wave rectifier. A positive current thus, for example, flows in this case through 54, and this then indicates is hotter than 44.

If, on the other hand, 36 is less hot than 44, the wave form of the output is as shown in Fig. 101); it is seen to be reversed in phase. In this case, a negative current flows through 54, indicating that 36 is less hot than 44. The magnitude of the current through 54 will indicate the temperature differential. e

The device of Fig. 9 may be used to indicate the departure of temperature of 44 from a fixed value. In this case 35 is maintained at a constant temperature. is left at the setting corresponding to this temperature, and 38 is kept adjusted to maintain the bridge in balance, as indicated on M. This balance may be maintained It may be automatically by one of the self-balancing circuits well known to the art. Then the departure of the temperature of 44 from that of 35 is registered on 54.

To use the device of Fig. 9 to measure the temperature of 4 3, 38 is adjusted until zero current is shown by 54. Resistor 55 is then adjusted to balance 4!. The reading of "it then indicates the temperature of 44. The balancing action may be made automatically by self-balancing circuits.

An electronic scanning method for measuring the lineal dimensions of an object may be employed in place of the mechanical scanning systems of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5. Such a method is illustrated in Fig. 11. 55 is an electronic-scanning image tube (iconoscope). 55 is a saw-tooth sweep oscillator, which sweeps the electron beam over the mosaic target 51, on which is projected the image of rod 2. The signal output of 55 is amplified by 58. The wave-form of the output of 58 will be similar to that illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 or 6a, under similar conditions of image formation. The diameter of the rod may thus be measured by circuits similar to those following the photoelectric cell 5 of Fig. 1, or 11 of Fig. 5.

Alternatively, with electronic scanning, the diameter of the rod may be measured in terms of the sweep voltage applied to the image tube 55 by oscillator 55 when the electron beam crosses each side of the image of the rod. One method of accomplishing this is illustrated in Fig. 11. The output of 58 is applied to the vertical defiecting plates of cathode-ray oscillograph tube 59. The output of oscillator 55 is applied to the horizontal plates. Then the wave-form such as shown in Figs. 3, 4 or 6a will be visualized on the face of the cathode-ray tube 55. The diameter of the rod may be calibrated on the face of the tube; as the deflection is proportional to the voltage, this measurement is made in terms of voltage.

The measurement of voltage difference at the beginning and end of the image may also be made electronically, rather than visually.

I claim:

1. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a radiation responsive scanning device, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device over a predetermined path, means for converting radiation received by said scanning device into an electric signal whose amplitude is dependent upon the radiation intensity, and means for measuring the average amplitude of said signal.

2. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a radiation image of the object against a contrasting background whose radiation character istic is distinctly different from that of the ob iect, a radiation responsive scanning device, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and image from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device over a predetermined path, means for converting radiation received by said scanning device into an electric signal whose amplitude is dependent upon the radiation intensity,

7 and means for measuring the average amplitude of said signal.

3. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element effective to produce an output signal whose amplitude is dependent upon the radiation intensity, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundry to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, said signal exhibiting a comparatively abrupt change in amplitude as said scanning device crosses each boundary of the object, and means for measuring the interval between successive abrupt changes in amplitude of said signal.

'4. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element effective to produce an electrical signal whose amplitude is dependent upon the intensity of the radiation received by said element, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, means diiTerentiating said signal to produce an electrical output dependent upon the rate of change of said signal, and means for measuring the interval between successive maximums of said output.

5. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element effective to produce an output voltage whose amplitude is dependent upon the intensity of the radiation received by said element, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, means differentiating said output voltage to produce a voltage signal dependent upon the rate of change of said output voltage, and means for measuring the interval between successive maximums of said signal.

6. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object,'a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element efiective to produce an output voltage whose amplitude is dependent upon the intensity of the radiation received by said element, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, means differentiating said output voltage to produce a voltage signal dependent upon the rate of change of said output voltage, said voltage signal alternating in polarity as said scanning device crosses first one boundary and then the other of the object, and means for measuring the interval between successive changes in polarity of said voltage signal.

7. A measuring device as defined in claim 6 8 wherein said measuring means is comprised of a pair of control tubes interconnected to conduct alternately in accordance with the polarity of said voltage signal and means for measuring the average current flow in the plate circuit of one of said tubes during periods in which it is conductive.

8. In a device for measuring the length,'widt diameter or other linear dimensions of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element effective to produce an output voltage whose amplitude is dependent upon the intensity of the radiation received by said element, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, means differentiating said output voltage to produce a voltage signal dependent upon the rate of change of said output voltage, said voltage signal alternating in polarity as said scanning device crosses first one boundary and then the other of said object, means duplicating said voltage signal in inverse phase, a peaking tube individual to and controlled by each of said voltage signals, each of said tubes developing a peaked negative voltage pulse in its space current circuit in response to an input voltage signal of positive polarity, a trigger circuit comprising a pair of tubes the inputs of which are coupled respectivelyto the outputs of said peaking tubes, the tubes of said trigger circuit being interconnected such that the appearance of a negative pulse on the grid of one renders the same non-conductive and the other conductive, and vice versa, and means-for measuring the average current flow in the plate circuit of one of the tubes of said trigger circuit during its conductive periods;

9. In a device for measuring the length, width, diameter or other linear dimension of an object, the combination comprising means for establishing a background for the object whose radiation characteristic is distinctly different from that of the object, a scanning device including a radiation sensitive element effective to produce an output voltage whose amplitude is dependent upon the intensity of the radiation received by said element, means for repeatedly sweeping said background and object from one boundary to the other along the particular dimension to be measured with said scanning device, means differentiating said output voltage to produce a voltage signal dependent upon the rate of change of said output voltage, said voltage signal alternating in polarity as said scanning device crosses first one boundary and then the other of the object, means for transmitting only the highest positivie and highest negative peaks of said signal, and {means for measuring the interval between sucessive peaks in said signal.

FRANKLIN OFFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,894,132 Stone Jan. 10, 1933 2,096,323 Gille Oct. 19, 1937 2,360,883 Metcalf Oct. 24, 1944: 

